Control for fluid dispensers



Feb. 26, 1963 R. D. KIMBALL ET AL 3,079,045

CONTROL FOR FLUID DISPENSERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 23, 1960INVENTORS ROLLOW D. KIMBALL ROLLOW c. K MBALL H IR ATTORfiEY 1963 R. D.KIMBALL ETAL 3,079,045

CONTROL FOR FLUID DISPENSERS Filed March 25, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 filSI I g 4!!" O O 8 a IO m m n 8 a 9' m u N) (D I0 8 a O N T 1' FIG. 6

INVENTORS ROLLOW D. KIMBALL ROLLOW C. K! BALL Feb- 26, 1 63 R. D.KIMBALL ET AL 3,079,045

CONTROL FOR FLUID DISPENSERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 25, 1960 "L 1m VG W muQQ @0 Q Q Q @QQ Q0 @GO OG @GQ GO @GO DD l0 GA ROW DOLLAR ROWILODOLLAR ROW cam ROW} 0 IN V EN TORS :ROLLOW D KIMBALL 21.0w 0. K BALATTo uEY FIG. IO

1963 R. D. KIMBALL ETAL 3,079,045

CONTROL FOR FLUID DISPENSERS Filed March 25, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4DOLLAR ROW (0Rv CENT ROW) INVENTOR. ROLLOW D. KIMBAL Y gZLLOW C. Kl BALE. B fi ATTOR fiEY United States Patent 3,079,045 CONTROL FOR FLUEDDHSPENSERS Roliow Dickson Kimball, 4545 West i745 South, Kearns, Utah,and Rollow C. Kimball, 2687 Alden St., Salt Lake City, tah

Filed Mar. 23, i960, Ser. No. 17,021 '7 Claims. (Cl. 2222-20) Thisinvention relates to liquid dispensing devices and, more particularly,to a new and improved dispenser wherein predetermined amounts of liquidmay be dispensed, these amounts being measured in terms of volume orquantity and also in terms of price.

Liquid dispensers such as gasoline pumps having means for predeterminingthe amount of liquid to be dispensed in terms of dollars or gallons arenot new. Difficulties have been encountered in connection with thosewhich have been proposed in the past. In the first place, suchdispensers which are provided with means for shutting oif fluid flowincorporate such means Within the dispenser itself, this principle beingcontrary to the laws of many states. In this connection it would behighly desirable if the preset mechanism could be cooperative with aconventional, vacuum shut-oil type nozzle wherein means is provided atthe nozzle itself to interrupt liquid flow.

An additional ditliculty encountered in connection with such dispensersresides in the coupling of the predetermining, push button switch boardto the counters of the dispenser. Normally this is done by couplingdirectly to a counter tally gear which must necessarily be shiftable.This is believed to be inept since the tally gear will not correspond inany continuous manner with the revolution of the numeral drums of thecounter. It is believed to be more appropriate to couple, in one-to-onegear ratio, the hunting circuit to be used with the primary gears of thenumeral drums proper. Further, if two independent, price and quantitybranches of the hunting circuit are employed, are respectively coupleddirectly to the primary gears of the quantity and price counters, andare independently selectable, then there need be no tally gear shifting;also, price changes would not affect the preselcctfon system.

An additional, advantageous feature would reside in providing agroundseeking hunting circuit wherein the inoperative contacts are inopen circuit, cold condition.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved control for liquid dispensers, which control will incorporatemeans for predetermining the amount or quantity of liquid to bedispensed either in terms of volume or in terms of price measurement.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means forcoupling a suitable hunting circuit to the numeral drum primary gears ofa conventional counter directly, rather than working through shiftingmechanisms, tally gears, and so forth.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improvement forvacuum shut-oh nozzle dispensers, wherein the same may be operatedremotely by a suitable, switch board type hunting circuit.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The presentinvention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood byreference to the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIGURES l and 2 are fragmentary, front and side elevations,respectively, of a dispenser such as a gasoline pump incorporating thepresent invention.

FIGURES 3 and 4 are top plan and side elevations, respectively, of themechanism of the pump unit which is 3,679fi45 Patented Feb. 26, 1963designed to exhibit the amount, in terms of both dollars and gallons, offluid dispensed by the pump at any given time.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of reduced size, taken alongthe line 5-5 in FIGURE 4 of the mechanism shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective, partially illustratedin phantom lines, of the cooperation of the tally gear, tally wheel, andprimary and secondary gears associated with the counter of the mechanismof FIGURES 3 5.

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation, partially sectioned and cut away forpurposes of clarity, of the pump nozzle, illustrating the same asmodified by the present invention.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the nozzle ofFIGURE 7, at the vacuum area thereof, and illustrates a secondembodiment of the nozzle.

FIGURES 9 and 10 are electrical diagrams of the circuit associated withthe pump and nozzle, FIGURE 9 being in schematic form and FIGURE 10being in pictorial form.

In FIGURE 1 dispenser It} is shown to include a dispensing hose 11provided with nozzle 12, the latter being releasably mounted upon amotor shut-off lever 13 and within nozzle receiving cavity 14. Theelectrical circuit associated with lever 13 is conventional and isillustrated in a portion of FIGURE 9 wherein it is seen that the pumpmotor M is connected in series with a normally open switch LS, and theseries circuit is shunted across the input terminals T. Lever 13 and armA of switch LS are coupled together and spring loaded so that when thenozzle is resting upon lever 13, the motor input circuit will be open;however, once the nozzle is lifted from its rest position upon lever 13,the lever arm 13 and arm A of switch S will spring upwardly so as toclose the motor circuit. This selective closing of the motor inputcircuit may be accomplished by the use of but one spring, by agravity-pivot arrangement, or other suitable means. This feature isstrictly conventional.

Returning again to FIGURES l and 2, and particularly to FIGURE 1, it isseen that the lever 13 is coupled (as shown by dotted lines 15) to pushbutton unit 17 by means of a reset mechanism 16. The reset mechanisms 16and the feature of coupling the same between lever 13 and push buttonunit 117 is conventional. See for example U.S. Patent No. 2,643,792issued to E. A. Daley et al. Thus, it appears that when the nozzle isreplaced within cavity 14 and is caused to rest upon lever support 13,the lever will be urged downwardly so as not only to shut off the motorand pump combination of the dispenser but also, and by virtue of theinclusion of conventional reset device 16, to urge that the buttonsassociated with push button units l7 outwardly for a new setting. Themotor and pump unit is illustrated in FIGURE 1 at 13 and is strictlyconventional; so also is the variator mechanism 19 which is interposedbetween unit 18 and counters 2d and 2:. of the display mechanism 22;phantom lines 23 and 24 illustrate that the motor pump unit 18 and thevariator 19 are connected to display mechanism 22 in a conventionalmanner.

The control 25 of the pump may be thought of as ineluding displaymechanism 22, push button unit 17, nozzle 12 plus additional structureabout to be described.

The structure of FIGURE 3 includes a pair of identical reading dollarcounters Ztl and 2t? and a pair of identical reading gallon counters 21and 21', the left counter (Ztl') being broken away to show therebeneaththe counter 21'. Each of these counters has three rotating numeraldrums, as hereinafter explained.

At the outset, it is well to consider FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 concurrentlyfor a brief summary of the conventional structure of the displaymechanism 221. This mechanism includes a primary frame structure 26which is bolted by bolts 2"! to the dispenser case The basic frame 26,together with the zeroizing mechanism 29, gear trains 3t) and 31, inputdriving means 32 and the counters 2i and 21 (and on the other side Ztiand 21') are strictly conventional and need no elaboration. See, merelyby way of example, US. Patent No. 2,643,792 issued to E. A. Daley et al.The conventional counters 2i} and 21 have conventional numeral drums29A, B, 26C and 21A, 21 HQ, with the counters 2i) and 21 havingcounterparts Zh'A, ZGB, iii/C, and ZIlA, ZlB, ZlC as illustrated inEEGURE 3. Each of the counters (e.g., counter 20) has associated withits respective drums a respective, primary gear 34, and 36. See FTGURES3 and 6. (It is seen in FIGURE 6 that, if desired to ensure proper gearengagement, the primary gears, e.g. 36, may be stamped so as to exhibita thickened, tooth periphery.) Adjacent the primary gears and 36, butkeyed to the adjacent drums, are tally wheels 37 and 38. The numeraldrums 263A and 29B of counter 2%, together with primary gears 35 and 3dand the tally wheels 37 and 38, are freely mounted upon a common shaft39; the numeral drum ZllC is keyed for rotation with primary gear 3d andthe associated gear train 3%. Tally gear shaft ll is fixedly disposed inparallel relationship with shaft 39 and freely carries upon it tallygears 41. Tally gear 41 includes a plurality of thick teeth 5-2interspaced by thin teeth 43. See FIGURE 6 in this connection.

The operation of the counter is strictly conventional. Thus, when thefastest turning drum, gear, and tally wheel combination rotate to acertain point such that the tally wheel (37, 38) comes in contact (atforward edge 44) with one of the small teeth 43, it commences to rotatethe gear 41, whereupon the large tooth falls in slot 45 of the tallywheel (37, 33), whereupon tally wheel 37, (33) advances and carries withit, by virtue of gear 41, the gear 35 (33). This operation of advancingthe various drums of the counter by means of primary gears, tallywheels, and tally gears is well known to those skilled in the art.

Of importance is the fact that the primary gears 34, 35 and 36 are keyedto their respective drums and rotate, of course, therewith.

The improvement of the invention consists in adding secondary gears 47and 48 to the presently existing shaft 49 so as to supply threesecondary gears 36' (though taking into consideration 3% is a part ofgear train 3d), 47 and 4-8 which rotate in accordance with the rotationof the respective numeral drums 20C, NE and ZllA. The same is performedwith respect to counter 21 in the addition of secondary gears 5i} and 51to existing shaft 52. It should be noted in connection with the gallonscounter 21 in FIGURE 3, and in contrast with counter 20, that none ofthe gears of gear train 31 are used to accomplish any electricalswitching in the improvement hereinafter to be described.

Thus, what is had are gears 39', 47 and :3 which will rotate inaccordance with numeral drums 26C, 2013 and ZllA, respectively, and alsogears 51 and sit which rotate in accordance with the rotation of drums21B and 21A, respectively. Numeral drums ZtEC, ZiBB and MBA are the centdrum, the ten cent (or one-tenth of a dollar) drum, and the dollar drum,respectively. Referring to the lefthand side of FIGURE 3, gear 51rotates in accordance with the gallon wheel Zl'B, whereas gear 5t?rotates in accordance with the ten gallon dum ZlA.

Referring again to FIGURE 3 it is seen that gears 47 and 48 havecommutator rings 47 and 48 respectively; thus, commutator rings 47 and4'8 will either be electrically isolated from the gears, or the gearsthemselves will be fabricated of a nonconductive material such as fiber.The same also applies with reference to at least one of the gears 5t 51associated with the gallons counter 21 (since one of the gears may besupplied a ground directly).

Each of the gears carries a contact member CM which, if the respectivegears employ commutators, is electrically connected to its respectivecommutator.

Nonco-nductive plate 55 is secured to structure 26 by means of screws55. This plate is provided with mounting screws 57 or other means andwith brackets 58 for fixedly mounting rotary switch members 59, so ander conncentrically about (but not rotatively connected to) shaft 49.Each of the rotary switch members contains a plastic base P and aplurality of circularly disposed electrical contacts E. Accordingly, thecontact members CM respectively engage their respective contact pluralties E disposed upon the associated rotary switch n1emoers 59, 6% and 61as shown.

correspondingly, the base of structure 26 is provided with an insulatingmounting plate 55' to which are fixedly mounted rotary switch member 63and 64, each being provided with a plurality of circularly arranged,electrical contacts E. Thus, the contact members CM of the gears 51 and5b are electrically connected to commutators Ell and 551 so that therespective commutator contacts CC associated with the several gearcommutators may be electrically connected to the contact members CM inrespective relationship.

Reference is now made to FIGURE 10 wherein are illustrated the dollarrow, the one-tenth dollar row, and also the one-cent row of push buttonsof push button unit 17 in FIGURE 1. (The conventional, manual reset button and manual, selector switch S of *IGURE 9 are ineluded on the panelunit 17 but are not shown.) Also illustrated are the ten gallon row andgallon row of push buttons with their corresponding numeral drums 2lAand Zl'B which are the ten gallon and gallon indicators, respectively.(Numeral drums 29A, 2GB and ZllC are the dollar, one-tenth dollar andcent indicators.)

FIGURE 9 is to be considered in conjunction with FIGURE 10. All of thepush buttons PB belonging to push button unit 17 are divided into rowsnumbered as illustrated. Each of the several rows has a lead C which iscommon to one side of each push button switch and which is connected tocommutator contact CC of the next associated gear and contact member CMcombination. The same also applies for the two, gallon push button rows.See FIGURE 9. Thus, the tandem circuit for the dollars and cents systembegins at ground (see the ground designation G in FIGURE 9) andprogresses through the several selector switch means S (i.e., theseveral rows of push buttons for the price system) in tandem fashion toterminal T of switch 5. Switch S has an arm A which is movable betweenswitch terminals T and T. The terminal T" circuit is shown as associatedwith dollar amount selection, whereas the terminal T of tandem circuitis associated with gallons selection. Arm A is connected through itsbase terminal B and through suitable electro-mechanical means E (whichstops the flow of liquid dispensed from the pump) to Secondary winding Sof transformer TR. The remaining end of transformer TR is maintained atground potential and includes a suitable crystal rectifier CR andcondenser CO, the rectifier and condenser serving as a filter to convertthe hunting circuit to a low voltage, direct current system. It will beunderstood that in lieu of the filter an alternating current typesolenoid with a built-in filter may be employed. Accordingly, theelectrical mechanical fluid shut-oil device E is connected in series,alternatively, with the two push button systems which provides a groundreturn for the direct current circuit. Thus, each of the tandem, huntingcircuits is ground seeking, with the non-active terminals B being opencircuit rather than hot as in other systems extant. When this electricaldevice is energized, then, as will be seen, the fluid dispensing willterminate. The means for carrying this into ellect will now bedescribed.

The nozzle shown in FIGURES l, Zand 7 is. now to be discussed. As willbe seen, it incorporates an electromechanical device E for turningv oilfluid flow. Nozzle l2 in FIGURE 7 includes an input connection 60,handle guard 61, handle 62 (which is selectively advanceable to enagcghalt flow and full flow detent 63 and 64 of guard d1), a spent 65,, andintermediate structure now to be discussed. The cast body 66 or" thenozzle exhibits a valve seat er which cooperates with valve 68. The stem69 of valve 58 engages seat '70 of handle 62 and has surrounding its end71 a light spring 72 engaging the valve seat and the end of the casting66. Spring 73 is a still compression spring and engages the top of valve67 and thebottom of cap 74'. This structure is purely conventional.Likewise conventional is the vacuum shut-off apparatus of the nozzle.This apparatus consists of a plunger Y having. an end connection 76pivotally attached to handle 62'. Plunger '75 is spring loaded by spring77 within bore 78 of body on. An insert 79 is threaded into the casting67 and has a tapered, internal shoulder 89. Plunger 75 has a shouldereS2 to accommodate spring 77' and also a plurality of radial bores 83 toaccommodate the balls 81. Additionally, plunger 75 is accommodated witha diameter bore 84 having an enlarged upper area 85. A rubber diaphragmS6 is fixedly attached to vacuum needle 87, the latter having anenlarged portion and a reduced diameter portion 89. Diaphragm 86 isafiixed to vacuum needle 87 in the region of flared flange 9b, thelatter seating return spring 91 which engages the upper surface ofsolenoid 92. Solenoid plunger 3 is connected to the upper end portion 94of vacuum needle 87 by means of a link 95.

Save for the inclusion of the solenoid 92, the construction' of nozzle12 is conventional and is used to provide an automatic shut-ctr once thefluid level in a gasoline tank being filled reaches a level such as toshut oil the reverse flow of air from spout 63 to' the dispenser.

The diaphragm 86 is centrally secured (by conventional means, bolts Hi2)within a central region 96 of body 6%, at an upper portion 97 thereof,and to vacuum needle 87 at flange 9b.

Not shown in FIGURE 7 but illustrated in FIGURE 8 are a pair of airpassageways 98 and 99 which provide communication for air entering spout65 and leaving the fluid inlet portion Gil of the nozzle, Thesepassageways generally take the form of small tubes. When the gasolinereaches the level which shuts off the reverse flow of air through spout65, the remaining air in the nozzle returns to the tank as the tankcontinues toempty, which results in an area of reduced pressure abovediaphragm 85. This causes an outward thrusting of the vacuum needle 37so as to release plunger 75 (by virtue of the release of the bearingballs 81). The front end 99 of handle 62 is thus urged downwardly underthe tension of spring 73 soas to release handle from detent 64, 655.Thus, creation of an area of reduced pressure at 96 causes diaphragm 86to advanceupwardly, which pressure withdraws the vacuum needle 87 andturns off fluid flow at the nozzle proper and not within the gasolinepump.

The structure above described is conventional, except for the inclusionof the solenoid 92 which is fixedly mounted by conventional means (notshown) to cap N1, the latter being secured to body 66 by means of boltsE. The-solenoid 92 is preferably of'a dipped type, to ensure in maximuminsulation of the windings thereof. When the solenoid 92 is energizedthe plunger 93 is drawn into the body of the solenoid so as to pullupwardly on vacuum needle 87. This operates to release plunger 75 so asto accomplish the automatic shut off, hereinbefore described. Theelectrical leads 1% and 1M which connect to solenoid 92 may consisteither of independent wires attached to hose ll of FIGURE 1 or may beactually molded' into the casing of the hose proper.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view of a portion on the nozzle in FIGURE 7wherein the existing cap C? of a conventionalnozzle is modified by beingdrilled at D and a small length of closed end pipe P inserted in thebore condenser CO in FIGURE 9. So long as each of the two circuits aretandem circuits, the ground may be sup plied at either end of therespective circuits, e.g. either at the dollar row notary switch contactmember CM or at the cent row rotary switch contact member CM. Thus,where the push button series at the left in FIGURE 9 in fact constitutesthe cent row of buttons, then the respec tive contact member CM may bemaintained at ground potential and the other end of the circuitconnected to terminal T. (This situation is illustrated in FIGURE 3'wherein gear 33' is maintained at ground potential.) Of course, thesituation may be reversed so that the left-hand push buttons in FIGURE 9may constitute the dollar now of push buttons. The ground may also besupplied contact members CM in FIGURE 9; this time, however, the groundmust be supplied through a commutator 48".

The above applies equally as well to the gallons system. As is to benoted with reference to FIGURE 10, the tenths of gallons drums 21C andZIC (see FIGURES 3 and 4) are not connected to the electrical circuitabove describedhence the presence of but five drums (for one of the twoidentical counting systems) in FIGURE 10.

Further advantages of the invention will be seen to reside in theprovision of transformer TR which, as shown, is a step-down transformerso that the hunting system may be a low voltage {c.g. 24 volt) system,thus avoiding arcing at the contacts. Additionally, trans former TRisolates the hunting circuit from the ground in. the alternating currentsupply voltage.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatchanges and modifications may be made without departing from thisinvention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in theappended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fallwithin the true spirit and scope of this invention.

We claim:

1. In a control for liquid dispensers having at least one countercomprising a common shaft, a plurality of numeral drums journaled uponsaid common shaft, a plu rali-ty of primary gears respectively andconcentrically afiixed to said drums, at least one tally wheelrespectively afiixed concentrically to all but the slowest drum andprimary gear combination and disposed adjacent the respective, primarygear of the next fastest drum, and at least one tally gear respectivelyengaging each tally wheel and the particular one of said primary gearsassociated therewith, said numeral drums thereby cooperating in jointlypresenting a visual display of quantity of liquid delivered, theimprovement comprising a first shaft disposed parallel to said commonshaft, a plurality of sec ondary gears respectively coupled to saidprimary gears in one-to-one ratio and mounted upon said first shaft, aplurality of con-tact members respectively afiixed to a respective oneof said secondary gears, a plurality of rotary switch members eachprovided with a plurality of contacts arranged in a circular pattern andsequentially engageable by a respective one of said contact members,said rotary switch members beingfixedly disposed, adjacent to, andconcentric with respective ones of said secondary gears, a plurality ofsets of selector switch means, each set comprising a plurality ofselector switch means serially coupled between respective ones of saidcontacts of a respective, rotary switch member and that contact member.operatively associated with that rotary scrapes switch member offollowing order, the so coupled pluralities of selector switch means,rotary switch member combinations being coupled together in tandemthrough the respective contact members to form a tandem circuit, andelectro-mechanical means, for interrupting the flow of liquid,electrically coupled across the tandem circuit.

2. In a control for liquid dispensers having at least one counterincluding a plurality of numeral drums jointly presenting a visualdisplay of quantity of liquid delivered and a plurality of primary gearsrespectively and concentrically affixed to said numeral drums, rotatingin accordance therewith, the improvement comprising a plurality ofsecondary gears respectively coupled to said primary gears in one-to-oneratio, a plurality of contact members respectively afllxed to arespective one of said secondary gears, a plurality of rotary switchmembers each provided with a plurality of contacts arranged in acircular pattern and sequentially engageable by a respective one of saidcontact members, said rotary switch members being fixedly disposed,adjacent to, and concentric with respective ones of said secondarygears, a plurality of sets of selector switch means, each set comprisinga plurality of selector switch means serially coupled between respectiveones of said contacts of a. respective, rotary switch member and thatcontact member operatively associated with that rotary switch member offollowing order, the so coupled pluralities of selector switch means,rotary switch member combinations being coupled together in tandemthrough the respective contact members to form a tandem circuit, andelectromechanical means, for interrupting the flow of liquid,electrically coupled across the tandem circuit.

3. Structure according to claim 2 wherein said contact member aifixed tothe slowest of said secondary gears is maintained at ground potentialthrough its respective gear.

4. In a control for liquid dispensers having a quantity counter and aprice counter, each of said counters including a plurality of numeraldrums jointly presenting a visual display of quantity of liquiddelivered and a plurality of primary gears respectively andconcentrically aifixed to said numeral drums, rotating in accordancetherewith, the improvement comprising a quantity regulating system and aprice regulating system, each of said systems comprising a plurality ofsecondary gears respectively coupled to their respective primary gearsin oneto-one ratio, a plurality of contact members respectively afiixedto a respective one of their respective secondary gears, a plurality ofrotary switch members each provided with a plurality of contactsarranged in a circular pattern and sequentially engageable by arespective one of their respective contact members, said rotary switchmembers being fixedly disposed adjacent to and concentric withrespective ones of their respective secondary gears, a plurality of setsof selector switch means, each set comprising a plurality of selectorswitch means serially coupled between respective ones of said contactsof a respective, rotary switch member and that contact memberoperatively associated with that rotary switch member of followingorder, the so coupled pluralities of selector switch means, rotaryswitch member combination being coupled together in tandem through therespective contact members to form a tandem circuit; system selectorswitch means; and electromechanical means, for interrupting the how ofliquid, electrically connectable across a selected one of said tandemcircuits by said system selector switch means.

5. In a control for liquid dispensers having electrical power meansoperating the same, said control having at least one counter including aplurality of numeral drums jointly presenting a visual display ofquantity of liquid delivered and a plurality of primary gearsrespectively and concentrically afilxed to said numeral drums, I-

tating in accordance therewith, the improvement comprising a pluralityof secondary gears respectively coupled to said primary gears inone-to-one ratio, a plurality of contact members respectively aillxed toa respective one of said secondary gears, a plurality of rotary switchmembers each provided with a plurality of contacts arranged in acircular pattern and sequentially engageable by a respective one of saidcontact members, said rotary switch members being fixedly disposed,adjacent to, and concentric with respective ones of said secondarygears, a plurality of sets of selector switch means, each set comprisinga plurality of selector switch means serially coupled between respectiveones of said contacts of a respective, rotary switch member and thatcontact member operatively associated with that rotary switch member offollowing order, the so coupled pluralities of selector switch means,rotary switch member combinations being coupled together in tandemthrough the respective contact members to form a tandem circuit, andelectro-mechanical means, for interrupting the flow of liquid,electrically coupled across the tandem circuit, the improvement circuitbeing independent from that of said power means.

6. in a control for liquid dispensers having at least one counterincluding a plurality of numeral drums jointly presenting a visualdisplay of quantity of liquid delivered and a plurality of primary gearsrespectively and concentrically afiixed to said numeral drums, rotatinginaccordance therewith, the improvement comprising a plurality ofsecondary gears respectively coupled to said primary gears in one-to-oneratio, a plurality of contact members respectively afiixed to arespective one of said secondary gears, a plurality of rotary switchmembers each provided with a plurality of contacts arranged in acircular pattern and sequentially engageable by a respective one of saidcontact members, said rotary switch members being fixedly disposed,adjacent to, and concentric with respective ones of'said secondarygears, a plurality of sets of selector switch means, each set comprisinga plurality of selector switch means serially coupled between respectiveones of said contacts of a respective, rotary switch member and thatcontact member operatively associated with that rotary switch member offollowing order, the so coupled pluralities of selector switch means,rotary switch member combinations being coupled together in tandemthrough the respective contact members to form a tandem circuit, and avacuum shut-oil type nozzle provided with electromechanical means forinterrupting the flow of liquid, said means being electrically coupledacross said tandem circuit.

7. In a control for liquid dispensers having at least one counterincluding a plurality of numeral drums jointly indicating quantity ofliquid delivered and a plurality of primary gears respectively andconcentrically afilxed to said numeral drums, rotating in accordancetherewith, the improvement comprising a secondary gear coupled to one ofsaid primary gears, a contact member afiixed to said secondary gear, arotary switch member provided with a plurality of contacts arranged in acircular pattern and sequentially engageable by said contact member,said rotary switch member being fixedly disposed, adjacent to, andconcentric with said secondary gear, a set of selector switch meanscomprising a plurality of selector switch means serially coupled betweenrespective ones of said contacts and a common reference point, andelectro-mechanical means, for interrupting the flow of liquid,electrically coupled between said contact member and said commonreference point.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,585,821 Mueller Feb. 12, 1952 2,804,991 Burleyson Sept. 3, 1957

1. IN A CONTROL FOR LIQUID DISPENSERS HAVING AT LEAST ONE COUNTERCOMPRISING A COMMON SHAFT, A PLURALITY OF NUMERAL DRUMS JOURNALED UPONSAID COMMON SHAFT, A PLURALITY OF PRIMARY GEARS RESPECTIVELY ANDCONCENTRICALLY AFFIXED TO SAID DRUMS, AT LEAST ONE TALLY WHEELRESPECTIVELY AFFIXED CONCENTRICALLY TO ALL BUT THE SLOWEST DRUM ANDPRIMARY GEAR COMBINATION AND DISPOSED ADJACENT THE RESPECTIVE, PRIMARYGEAR OF THE NEXT FASTEST DRUM, AND AT LEAST ONE TALLY GEAR RESPECTIVELYENGAGING EACH TALLY WHEEL AND THE PARTICULAR ONE OF SAID PRIMARY GEARSASSOCIATED THEREWITH, SAID NUMERAL DRUMS THEREBY COOPERATING IN JOINTLYPRESENTING A VISUAL DISPLAY OF QUANTITY OF LIQUID DELIVERED, THEIMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A FIRST SHAFT DISPOSED PARALLEL TO SAID COMMONSHAFT, A PLURALITY OF SECONDARY GEARS RESPECTIVELY COUPLED TO SAIDPRIMARY GEARS IN ONE-TO-ONE RATIO AND MOUNTED UPON SAID FIRST SHAFT, APLURALITY OF CONTACT MEMBERS RESPECTIVELY AFFIXED TO A RESPECTIVE ONE OFSAID SECONDARY GEARS, A PLURALITY OF ROTARY SWITCH MEMBERS EACH PROVIDEDWITH A PLURALITY OF CONTACTS ARRANGED IN A CIRCULAR PATTERN ANDSEQUENTIALLY ENGAGEABLE BY A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID CONTACT MEMBERS,SAID ROTARY SWITCH MEMBERS BEING FIXEDLY DISPOSED, ADJACENT TO, ANDCONCENTRIC WITH RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID SECONDARY GEARS, A PLURALITY OFSETS OF SELECTOR SWITCH MEANS, EACH SET COMPRISING A PLURALITY OFSELECTOR SWITCH MEANS SERIALLY COUPLED BETWEEN RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAIDCONTACTS OF A RESPECTIVE, ROTARY SWITCH MEMBER AND THAT CONTACT MEMBEROPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT ROTARY SWITCH MEMBER OF FOLLOWINGORDER, THE SO COUPLED PLURALITIES OF SELECTOR SWITCH MEANS, ROTARYSWITCH MEMBER COMBINATIONS BEING COUPLED TOGETHER IN TANDEM THROUGH THERESPECTIVE CONTACT MEMBERS TO FORM A TANDEM CIRCUIT, ANDELECTRO-MECHANICAL MEANS, FOR INTERRUPTING THE FLOW OF LIQUID,ELECTRICALLY COUPLED ACROSS THE TANDEM CIRCUIT.